Bag closure or mouth clamp



S. J. DUNSTAN.

BAG CLOSURE 0 R MOUTH CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24, 1918.

Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

v Even 5% x ZZzmS'i Q'Ji Z/s A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

v SAMUEL JAMES DUNSTAN, OF BARRAPOORT, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

BAG- CLOSURE 0R MOUTH CLAMP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL JAMES DUN- STAN, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, &-o., residing at Barrapcort, in the State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, have inventedcertain new, and useful Improvements in Bag Closures ,or Mouth Clamps; and I do hereby declarethe following to be, a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such-as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

a To reduceconsumption of workers? time, and avoid damage tobags and sacks con taining grainor other goods thisinvention provides an improved bag mouth closure or clamp. One objectionable result of sewing bag mouths in harvest fields, where many bags are filled, is that considerable] time must be occupied before the bags are ready to be carted to a siloor other place. Other unsatisfactory results are that when opening the bags by cutting the cords, bags are damaged and cords are wasted.

My clamp can be rapidly applied to a bag, and fastened and can be rapidly removed. It will holdsecurely, and may be locked sealed or tiedwhen desired. The same clamps are tobe repeatedly used, and will in time save much expense. They consist of jaws and jaw fasteners and are usually of metal, but include any other suitable material. Thej aw fasteners includea link which is adjustable to connect the jaws, with a wing nut,.screw device,'or aspring actuated bolt, or there are modifications described later. I

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan of a simple 'clamp with its jaws closed but not fastened, the fastenerbeing a link with a wing nut. v j i a I Fig. 2 is a plan showing part of Fig. 1

with the jaws fastened. Fig.3 shows an end sectional view of the parts in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows a sectional View atthe other end of the clamp looking in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 shows the parts in :F ig. 3 but with the fastener consisting of a springactuated bolt, to which may beadded at will parts described later. n

Fig. 6 is a side View of one endof a clamp Specification of Letters Patent.

one of the said holes also.

Patented Oct. '19, 1920.

, Application filed December 24, 1918. Serial No. 268,167.

which, instead of being fiat, has jaws curved down at each end.

Each. clamp shown is reversible and the reversed position is in some cases preferred as when it is desired to have the clamp top smooth, or nearly so. I i

It is important that during transportation I of filled bags the clamp jaws shall notvbe accidentallyunfastened.

To guard against accident or a mistaken partial unfastening it is advisable. that if one fastening member be undone, another shall exist and remain fastened until also undone. I provide accordingly. I

The *clamphas-suitable jaws a, b, of such length as to' grip between themthe opposite sldes or lips of the mouth of the filled bag or sack, while preserving if desired the same.

width of bag or sack as sewingv does, or if desired reducing that width. in

These jaws have at one end suitable connecting means, such as a pivot pin c'passing through. an'end 12 of jaw. Z) and an end a of jaw a. The other ends a 6 of the jaws are when requiredfree and widely separated but are adapted to be set close to one another as illustrated, and to befastened in that position, with the bag ripped between edges or faces of the jaws. Each j aw'edge or face. (provided to contact with and grip the bag) has preferably projections, as at f and 9, but may have other suitable contour, in some cases being smooth.

The space d between the closed jaws is of such width that when they are fastened toside.

The link when in the position of Fig. 1 can be moved toward jaw end b and can be swung in the direction of arrow B around aw end a ,and then slid along the jaws to the selected position as in Fig. 2. Then a wing nut m (as in Fig. 3) which is on the screw threaded pin or bolt jean be screwed down to press the link i, and as the limbs of the link are somewhat resilient the link will more tightly grip jaw b. I may use a washer or washers between jaw Z) and the link. WVhen link i holds jaw b tightly it cannot accidentally slip longitudinally, and the use of an extra .fastening member to utilize one of the holes e to 0 will not usually be resorted to. But to provide an extra fastening a hole of jaw a is in Big. 3 shown screw threaded at a and may be utilized.

The link has holes which can be set sufliciently in register with a selected hole in jaw a for the introduction when desired of a fastening member.

I may insert a set screw of anysuitable length to engage the part a and one or both holes is, but it is obvious that either of the holesJc could be screw threaded to receive a like set screw.

The fastening bolt j in Fig. 5 is usable with or without link 2'; in the latter case bolt j may be shorter than shown.

The transverse connection or bolt 7' extends slidably through holesz' in link 2', and through slot h, and extends across the closed jaws, and its end 3' passes through a hole is of the link and into a hole of jaw a, and in some cases continues through the other hole k of the link. i

A hole 0 in bolt end 7' allows of use of an additional fastening device if desired.

The end 7' is in some cases as shown screw threaded to enable a nut to be screwed down on link i, or (in the absence or the link) on 1.

is a spring around the stem of bolt j bearing between the bolt head j andlink 2' or (in the absence of the link) jaw b. 'Spring n presses strongly and lifts bolt head j and thus keeps end j engaging jaw a, that isholds the clamp closed when required.

To disengage the jaw, bolt head 9' is movedto compress spring n, and thus move bolt end j clear of jaw a.

In Fig. 6 b is a curved jaw end, bywhich a bag ear may be located well above the clamp, grasping or the said ear by a workman would thus be facilitated.

Theremay be any suitable washers .not shownusedwith my construction. i

The user of this invention will in some cases attach one jaw of the clamp at one side of a bag mouth permanently when that is desired to prevent mislaying of the clamp or forany other reason.

Having described this invention, what is claimed by Letters Patent is 1. A bag closure comprisingbars pivotally connected at one end, one of said bars being formed adjacent the free end with-a slot, a pivot pin extended through the slot, and a U-shaped member mounted on the pivot pin, said member being of a length to embrace the free end of the other bar, when the pivot pin of the member is at one end of the slot, and held against disengagement on said other bar when the pivot pin of the member is at the opposite end of the slot.

2. A bag closure comprising bars pivotally connected at one end, one of said bars being formed adjacent the free end with a slot, a pivot pin extended through the slot, and a U-shaped member mounted on the pivot pin, said member being of a length to embrace the free end of the other bar, when the pivot pin of the member is at one end of the slot, and held against disengagement on said other bar when the pivot "pin of the member is at the opposite end of the slot, and means for securing the pivot pin in any position lengthwise the slot.

3. A bag holder comprising a pair of bars each of which is formed with a'serrated edge, one of the bars having a plurality of openings near one end. and a single opening near the opposite end, the other bar having a lateral extension at one end formed with an opening which registers with the single opening in the companion bar, the bar with the extension having an elongated slot, a pivot extending through the openings in the bar and extension, a U shape link embracing the bars, the end of the link engaging one of said bars, and a screw extending through the slot and openings formed'in the U shape link, which with the link engaging the opposite bar forms a lock, the link having other openings which register with one of the plurality of openings in the bar to receive an additional securing member.

4. A bag closure comprising bars pivotally connected at one end, a loop link slidably and pivotally connected to one bar, the arcuate plane of movement of the free end of the link permitting engagement of such link with the remaining bar,"when suchlink is atone limit of the sliding adjustment thereof and prevent disengagement of such link and bar where the link is at the other limit of such adjustment.

5. A bag holder comprising a pair of substantially parallel bars pivoted together and forming gripping jaws, one of'said bars having a longitudinal slot therein, the other of said bars having openings, a U shape link embracing the bars and formed with two pairs of alined openings which register respectively with one of the openings and the slot in the bars, fastening means extending through the alined openings in the bar and the link, and locking means extending through the alined openings inthe link and the slot in the bar, and means forsecuring the link at any desired sliding adjustment.

6. A bag closure comprising bars pivotlink lengthwise the bar to a position whereally connected together at one end, and by said link may freely pass over the end of 10 means for securing the free ends of the bars the other bar or to a position where it is together, said means comprising a U-shaped prevented by such other bar from passing 5 link having the ends thereof mounted for over the end thereof.

pivotal and longitudinal sliding movement In witness whereof I have hereunto set in one of said bars, the sliding movement my hand. of the pivot of the link bodily moving the SAMUEL JAMES DUNSTAN. 

